About The Bob

The Bob Carpenter Sports/Convocation Center is the University of Delaware's primary location for convocations, concerts, and banquets, and also serves as the home for UD's men's and women's basketball and volleyball. This 5,000-seat facility, opened in 1992, is part of the David M. Nelson Athletic Complex, which includes 23,000-seat Delaware Stadium, the Delaware Field House, the 2,000-seat Delaware Diamond, numerous athletic fields, the Delaware Ice Skating Science Development Center at the Rust Ice Arena, and an outdoor swimming pool.

The Carpenter Center also includes a comfortable glass-walled reception lounge area, the Bob Carpenter Club, which provides a viewing area into the Delaware Stadium with visual and physical access to the Acierno Arena. It also includes a state-of-the-art scoreboard color video message center, and a 203-panel tongue-and-groove 60'-by-112' maple arena floor.

Other special features of the facility include a 120-person football locker room, men's and women's basketball locker rooms, administrative offices, a state-of-the-art weight room, and numerous athletic training rooms. Directly accessible to the locker room area are three classroom meeting areas and a 120-seat lecture hall, used for team meetings, classes, and press conferences.

The Bob Carpenter Sports/Convocation Center is named in honor of the late R.R.M. "Bob" Carpenter Jr., a longtime University board trustee member, athletic benefactor, and former Philadelphia Phillies owner. The arena section of the Bob Carpenter Center is named in honor of Frank E. Acierno, a local businessman and developer, whose contribution of $1 million dollars was the largest single donation to the Bob Carpenter Center. Formally dedicated on November 10, 1992, the facility was designed by Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum, Inc., of Kansas City, MO., one of the top architecture/engineering firms in the country. Delaware firms involved in the BCC's development were Tevebaugh and Associates of Wilmington, and Landmark Engineering, Inc. and Healy Management Services, Inc., both of New Castle.

Seating Charts

The Bob Carpenter Sports/Convocation Center can accommodate a number of different setups for a wide variety of events. You can look to find out where you are sitting for an upcoming event, or if you are planning on booking an event at our facility and want to know what it will look like.

Handicapped Access

ADA Accessible Seating – Accessible seating is defined as wheelchair spaces and companion seats of the Department of Justice guidelines pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act. A public entity may investigate the potential misuse of accessible seating where there is good cause to believe that such seating has been purchased fraudulently. For Accessible Seating Information, including policies and locations,click here.

Door

The entrance to the Bob Carpenter Sports/Convocation Center for the handicapped is located at the main doors. Please view the map of the complex to locate.

Elevator

We have an elevator to assist anyone between floors who finds it difficult to climb stairs.

Job Opportunities

Stop by the Bob Carpenter Center Administration Office between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. to pick up an employment application. The office is open Monday-Friday between 8am and 5pm. Or print the online application (pdf format, Adobe Acrobat required) and bring or mail it to the Administration Office.

Rental Information

For more information about building rentals, e-mail bcc-admin@udel.edu or call 302.831.4507.

Food & Beverage/Catering

Aramark has exclusive rights to all catering, food & beverage needs in the Bob Carpenter Center. For more information, please contact the Events Coordinator at 302.831.4507.”